So not only was UNC knocked out in their first tournament game – second time Georgia Tech's done that to Roy Williams by the way – but they were the only lower seed not to advance. Miami, N.C. State, and talent-deprived Virginia all had better tournaments than the Heels. Don't expect that trend to continue, though. The bottom four seeds are 2-8 on Friday since the tournament expanded. N.C. State has had the greatest success, making it all the way to the finals as a ten seed in 2007.
The Wolfpack remain the only team to win three ACC tournament games and not be awarded the title, having done it twice, both that season and in 1997, during the days of the Les Robinson Invitational. They're the most likely to advance today as well. Florida State, despite winning a lot down the stretch, has been playing slower and slower, and getting narrower and narrower in their victories. It's the last game of the night, they'll have had the longest time off, and they're ripe for the upset.
UNC will be back in Chapel Hill,of course, hoping for an NIT bid. If you need something to debate, here's Larry Drew's postgame quote, one of the few new criticisms of this team I've heard in some time:
"If I had to say something, I would probably say in certain situations Coach will call a set play and guys, I feel, are so caught up into carrying the play out that they're not really letting their basketball instincts take over."
Thoughts?